Daniel B.
Yelp
We checked out Okiboru's new Buckhead location and the ramen was the same excellent quality that we had at the original location in Sandy Springs. If you want some of the best ramen Atlanta has to offer, I recommend this place. That's all you need to know. If you want details, keep reading.
Everything about Okiboru's ramen was on point, from the noodles to the broth. The quality of the ingredients was great and the prices were fair. Metro Atlanta has a lot of good ramen restaurants and to me, Okiboru seems to have an edge on the competition. I love their thinner, firmer Hakata-style noodles and rich, complex broth that is absolutely packed with umami. If you've never had Okiboru ramen before, the difference in ingredient quality and recipe is one you can taste. They seem to have perfected their process/recipe.
One of my old Yelp friends once said (and I've mentioned this in at least one of my other ramen restaurant reviews) words to the effect of, "Ramen is like barbecue. No one can agree on it." For example, I know several folks who really like the Jinya chain. In my opinion, Jinya can't hold a candle to Okiboru. Not that I think Jinya's ramen is bad, it just never jived with me. Okiboru gets everything about their ramen right, from the thick, succulent slices of pork chashu with just the ideal amount of fat to the delectable slices of menma (fermented bamboo shoots) which aren't cheap or run-of-the-mill.
I had both the regular and spicy Tonkotsu Ramen at this location. They were equally flavorful and satisfying. If you love spicy food, go with the spicy. It's legit got a kick to it. The regular is just as satisfying.
During our visit, we accessed Okiboru's menu via a QR code at our table. Here's the link: https://www.musthavemenus.com/oo/places/okiboruofbuckhead-atlanta-ga. Hopefully, the link still works if you try to access it. Paper menus were available upon request.
Below is what we ordered:
Ramen
* Tonkotsu Ramen ($16) - rich pork broth, pork chashu, half soft-boiled egg, scallions, thin hakata noodles
* Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen ($16) - rich spicy pork broth, pork chashu, half soft-boiled egg, scallions, thin hakata noodles
Small Plates
* Okiboru Pork Buns (2 for $9) - steamed buns, pork, garlic aioli, soy glaze, pickled cucumber, chive
* Truffle Garlic Edamame (vegan) ($8.50) - edamame soy beans, garlic soy sauce, truffle oil
Cocktails
* Okiboru Old Fashioned ($15) - Akashi Select whisky, Angostura bitters, orange bitters, housemade simple syrup, UME Plum Liqueur
* Saving Grace ($14) - Kettle One Vodka, Fruitful Pink Guava Liqueur, lychee juice, fresh lime juice, housemade simple syrup
* We're Just Friends ($13) - Roku rosemary-infused gin, peach liqueur, housemade simple syrup, fresh lemon juice, topped with Da Luca Prosecco
Draft Beer
* Orion ($12)
Aside from the ramen, everything else I tried here was good to great. Even simpler items like the edamame, Okiboru makes sure to do something to make it stand out from the competition. In this case, it's Truffle Garlic Edamame, and it works. The cocktails were fantastic too. They were well-made, strong, and delicious. I think the drinks at Okiboru fly under the radar and don't get the attention they deserve.
Along with tonkotsu, Okiboru offers other kinds of ramen broth and protein options (e.g., truffle shoyu with pork or chicken, tori paitan with chicken, and yasai vegetarian with tofu) as well as their famous tsukemen dipping ramen in three varieties. I didn't order the tsukemen this time because frankly, I was too lazy. It's a bit of a novelty. I'll probably get it next time, though.
Service was terrific. Less than a year in, this location already appeared to be running like a well-oiled machine. Great staff.
Okiboru Buckhead is located in the old KarmaFarm (https://www.yelp.com/biz/phatyuca-atlanta-2) and original Holeman & Finch (https://www.yelp.com/biz/holeman-and-finch-atlanta-2) space on street level at the Aramore condo building. Free parking is available in the Aramore's garage behind the restaurant. For longtime Atlantans, it's interesting how much this space has changed since its time as the OG H&F. This isn't a very big space and it got busy during our Saturday evening visit. KarmaFarm, now PhatYuca, didn't last in this space long, having opened here back in July 2020.
This Okiboru location opened on October 5, 2022. This was the third Okiboru to open in metro Atlanta. At the time of writing this review, the locations are:
1. Okiboru Sandy Springs (opened December 2019)
https://www.yelp.com/biz/okiboru-tsukemen-and-ramen-sandy-springs-2
2. Okiboru Duluth (opened August 23, 2022)
https://www.yelp.com/biz/okiboru-tsukemen-and-ramen-duluth
3. Okiboru Buckhead (opened October 5, 2022)
4. Okiboru Mall of Georgia (currently under construction)
Outside of Georgia, a location opened in New York, on the Lower East Side in Manhattan, on October 1, 2022: https://www.yelp.com/biz/okiboru-house-of-tsukemen-new-york.